Best of pluck, Fiona

HARPIST Fiona Rutherford was joined by Councillor Steve Cardownie, the city's events champion, after winning the Clarsach Society Young Composer Competition.

The contest invited composers aged between 16 and 25 to create an original piece of music around ten minutes long.

Fiona's winning composition, Toccata for the Scottish Harp, will be performed at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, which runs from 9-14 April at Merchiston Castle School.

She said: "My piece is, I hope, a small contribution towards the celebration of this instrument. I wanted to write a piece which would showcase the range of the instrument and the technique of the player, whilst remaining melodic and fun."

The festival's Laurina Strachan said: "Fiona is a real inspiration to young and old as to what can be achieved with one of Scotland's most ancient instruments."